Time After Time
by xox Moony xox
Summary: It’s been months, but for some reason Maxxie still seems to be the only one who really understands Tony now… maybe a little too much sometimes.


**Rating: **PG-13… for now at least.  
**Characters: **Tony/Maxxie.

**Spoilers:** Everything up to and including 2x04, it follows on.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own it, but if anyone over on the e4 camp wants to give me a job, that'd be great.

**Summary: **It's been months, but for some reason Maxxie still seems to be the only one who really understands Tony now… maybe a little too much sometimes.

**Part 1**

_if you're lost you can look, and you will find me, time after time_

_if you fall i will catch you, i'll be waiting, time after time_

He really didn't know why she had to sit around and watch those films; they only succeeded in making her cry. No, not just cry, sob uncontrollably into a handful of Kleenex, while he sat beside her, watching, completely helpless. Casablanca, Wuthering Heights, it didn't matter which; they all had the same effect each and every time.

She'd forgotten he was sitting there, that much was obvious. If she had remembered, he would have been told off half an hour ago for having his feet up on the furniture, which was what usually happened. However, she was distracted and for Maxxie this was a blessing because it gave him the chance to have family time while still happily texting away on his mobile. His legs were pulled up against his chest, chin resting on his knees, his mother sniffling in his ear as his fingers danced over the keys.

Taz was lying several feet away on his bed, staring at them with his beady black eyes, clearly after something, but no one paid the slightest bit of attention. He whimpered and Maxxie risked a glance over the top of his phone, eyebrows lifting in curiosity. The dog sighed, returning his gaze with sad eyes before soon realising that they were going to continue to ignore him, so got himself comfy again.

With a dry laugh, Maxxie shook his head, placing his phone down on the arm beside him, and joining his mother in watching the TV. Heathcliffe stalking across the moors the same as always, Catherine continuing to scream for him and Maxxie really hated this film. He always wondered how his mother could get pleasure from watching it; depressing, that's what it was (all it was), utterly depressing.

Ten minutes passed and then the phone rang. Beside him, his mother looked up, her eyes bloodshot. It took a moment for her to compose herself, as she wiped her eyes on another handful of tissues and then scrambled to standing, reaching for the phone just in time. He stayed put; gaze fixed to the television set and the dreary scene playing out in front of him. And there he sat, right up until she walked back over to sit down, knocking his feet from under him, shaking her head at him playfully.

Deciding there was no point in staying where he was any longer, Maxxie sighed and then pushed himself to his feet, heading out to his bedroom and switching the TV off on his way. He flopped down onto the bed a minute later after shoving the door closed and shutting the blinds with a satisfying clunk. He couldn't sit in his room now without having them closed; paranoia would drown him whenever he looked out across the estate.

Lifting his phone up in front of his face, he opened up a recently received text, his teeth raking lightly over his lower lip as he read it once more.

_Call md when youqe free. T x_

A moment later, he hit the call button and moved the phone to his ear, letting his eyes fall closed and choosing not to have a staring match with the ceiling for the duration of their conversation.

The phone rang three, four, five times before Tony picked up and he was silent to begin with, breathing lightly into Maxxie's ear. 'How was the camping trip?' he asked eventually, words monotone. He was clearly uninterested but trying to be polite by asking about it anyway.

'Anwar's shagging my stalker,' he responded, his tone almost identical. 'Didn't see that one coming.'

'You did say you thought-'

'I know! I know…'

Maxxie didn't let him finish, he was still too annoyed to think about it in depth. Yet again, his supposed best friend had let him down, and it hurt, it _fucking_ hurt more than was imaginable. It wasn't going to be an easy thing to forgive, if he ever even did… truly.

'Do you want to go for a drink?' the words escaped his lips easily and he was glad he asked because he really did need to get out of the flat tonight.

Tony was silent on the other end of the line and then he answered quite clearly, 'Sure. Gonna come get me?'

Laughing lightly, Maxxie shook his head and then moved to prop himself up on his elbows, staring over at the shuttered window. He stayed that way for a moment, wondering what he'd see if he chose to open the blinds for once. He didn't even know if she watched him anymore. He didn't want to know either, not really.

'Maxxie?'

'Sorry.' He blinked, licking his lips as he regained his concentration and then answered Tony's question. 'Better get you, I'm the only one who's safe for you to hang around with, right?' he responded, his tone light.

There was a soft laugh in his ear and he found himself smiling at the sound. 'Right,' Tony repeated.

Getting up from his bed, phone still balancing tentatively between his ear and shoulder, Maxxie began to paw his way through the wardrobe. His eyes moved back and forth the shirts hanging there as he debated what to wear. T-shirt or shirt, striped or plain, such life changing decisions, all of them.

'I'll call Chris,' he said after several seconds of silence. He was holding a blue shirt up against himself, admiring his reflection in the full-length mirror as he made this decision. It really would be better if it wasn't just the two of them, neither one of them were in a particularly chirpy mood after all.

There wasn't really anyone else he could ask anyway. Michelle and Anwar were out of the question, Sid had been MIA since getting home and Jal… well, Jal was Jal and since when did they hang out, just them? Quite simply, they didn't.

Deciding upon a time, Maxxie ended the call with Tony and was soon deep in conversation with Chris, who, unsurprisingly, was still going on about Scarlett's tits. It was difficult not to laugh. Once he had something in his head, he'd go on about it until someone slapped him out of it, that someone usually being Jal. They were doomed tonight if he didn't shut up soon.

Maxxie eventually slinked back into the living room and settled himself at the kitchen table. Clothes for that night were sitting on the end of his bed and the meeting place arranged; all he needed to do now was eat something and get changed. His mother was busy chopping things up ready for dinner and he sat quietly, watching her and thinking to himself.

Things were starting to get strange between the gang; he'd been sensing it for a while now. Even though, in some ways, they were growing closer as a group, there was still an underlying sense of separation. Lurking like something in the shadows, invading his thoughts every now and again. He knew he wasn't the only one thinking it. Tony's accident had been the defining point, it had shaken everybody up, conjured up doubts in their minds; the same with Cassie's move to Scotland. And now, well, now they were counting the days until they all went their separate ways, him especially.

Maxxie sighed in frustration, unintentionally causing his mother to stop what she was doing, drop her knife into the sink with a clatter and glance over at him, her mouth twisting into a small frown. 'Everything OK over there?' she asked softly, genuinely concerned.

'Yep,' he answered simply, flashing a smile in her direction, letting her know that everything _was_ fine. 'I'm going out tonight… with Chris and Tony.'

She simply nodded and smiled, going back to what she was doing, knowing that nothing else needed to be said. She wouldn't ask what time he was due home, or where they were going, she never did. She knew she could trust him, so there was never a need to and he really loved that about her, about both of his parents.

Leaning his head on his hand, Maxxie let his gaze drift to the window, looking out across the Bristol skyline. Under the table, Taz let out another sigh as they continued to ignore him.


End file.
